Well, that didn't take long.
New signal switch from Carolina Classics, (had Dennis Carpenter on the box), lasted about six months before the cancelling tabs cracked. I noticed that the signals weren't cancelling some of the time, and I wanted to re-clock my steering wheel anyway. Pulled the wheel, and both tabs of the switch are cracked.

Are there ANY quality options? At any price?

I'm gonna do a power steering conversion next spring. I'm thinkin' very seriously about an Ididit column. I really wanted to keep the stock steering wheel, and Ididit has a column that does use the stock wheel. But (Big hairy but), does it use the same chinese copy of the stock switch?
The other option is to go with the generic Ididit column which uses GM wheel adapters, and probably a GM style switch.

Maybe a '65 Impala steering wheel would raise a few eyebrows!

 

Made by the same folks that made them for Ford. Ford Part C9TZ-13341-USA. Turn Signal Switch - 65-72 F-100/f-350 W/1 Stud 7 Wires Usa Made (cgfordparts.com)
I would stay away from those aftermarket columns that use GM switches.
If this switch sounds expensive look at a USA one for a 79-tilt column. I had to buy one last year because one of my brake lights quit working.
Some 78-79's' "if you can find one" to mine the parts from came with tilt columns. If you are going to use any Ford steering PS box, be sure to get the pitman arm because they are different from the manual steer. And getting hard to find. They are stamped PWR STR.

 

Much appreciated. That is not expensive for USA made. I will always be willing to pay for US made items. The Chinese switch is at $45. I went ahead and ordered it.

The response I got from Carolina Classics is that their switch is the best on the market. And of course, hundreds sold and no failures of this nature.
So, the question is....Is there something odd about my set -up? It's the stock column with the stock wheel. Could the cancelling collar on the wheel be stressing the switch tabs too much to cause a rapid part failure?
Of course the tabs were broken of the switch that was in the truck when I did the disassembly. I attributed that to 56 year old plastic.

Good info on the power steering thing. Thanks!
I'm not going to resort to an aftermarket column unless I see no alternative. Like most people, I just want this to work as it should, and Ididit columns have great reviews with nearly no quality complaints against them. Tilt would be nice! But the whole changeover would be a big chunk of change, for certain!

 

I don't understand the technology well, but I wonder if a 3D printer could be used to manufacture the plastic parts from a durable material. The horn ring retainer too.

Eric.

 

Good question Eric. One would think that today's materials would be far FAR superior to mid 60's material.

Another question is, how long did these parts last as original equipment?

 

That's a good question, too. For the most part a really long time. The horn index plate can be stressed if a person tries to remove the horn button or ring without knowing how to do it. And how the vehicle is stored day-to-day makes a big difference too. Parked in a garage when not being driven is so much different than being outside, especially in places where the day to night temps vary a lot. The dry desert is good for sheet metal but not so good for rubber and plastic parts. Things become brittle and start to fail.

 

Y'know, I've been around for a bit, and owned many cars of all different makes and models of this era back in my day. I don't recall a single one ever have a signal switch fail in any way. Or any switch for that matter. I did replace an ignition switch in an old VW one time. But it turned out the problem was not the switch at all.

It is often said the parts made today are not as good as the OEM stuff....or maybe even the replacement parts from those days. Seems to be a crap shoot for common replacement parts functionality. So, I reckon it's down to my own advice I give to others when it came to buying high performance equipment (which these days is also a crap shoot if a piece even fits or is functional).....

- You do your research, pay your money and you take your chances. -

 

Your asking about the possibility of something wrong with your steering wheel pin, got me curious. I have an old 65 wheel, so I went out back and evicted some spiders from their winter home and took it apart. That pin is just a spring-loaded clip-on affair. I pried it off with a couple of bent screwdrivers. Prier beware that is a strong spring, and it will come off and fly across the shop. Ask me how I know. If yours is bad, you are welcome to this one.
The only other thing that might affect the life of that cancelling cam is a bad upper bearing on the steering shaft.

 

Didn't realize that those pins are re-popped. If I did a little pointing and clicking earlier, I wouldn't have had to fight the spiders. Ford Part C7TZ-13318-A. Steering Wheel Turn Signal Canceling Cam - 68-79 F-100/f-350 (cgfordparts.com)
But if you need one mine is free and they want money for theirs.

 

Thanks Crop. The offer is very much appreciated. Mine isn't broken, and the crest of the cam is shiny. I think it's OK.
Maybe I should slather some grease on it next time.

 

Mikey, after replacing two Chinese turn signal switches back to back, I was looking through an old work phone book and came across a place I used to use called "She-Mar". My phone book entry simply said, She-Mar, turn signals. I called them, they were still in business with the same quality product. I ordered one for my 65, paid around twice as much as the Chinese ones, but I suppose it's been in the truck for at least two years. Daily driver, and I use my signals.
however, I was looking at an original steering wheel I have a while ago and noticed the roll pin, or I guess maybe the clip you guys were discussing, and I remembered seeing a roll pin in the install kit for the same brand of aftermarket steering wheel I have. So I pulled the wheel, found holes for said roll pin, and installed the cancel pin. In Finally for the first time I had self cancelling, working turn signals in my truck. Unfortunately I had been manually cancelling the signals for long enough for it to become second nature and I cancelled at the wrong time, twice, and broke off both cancel levers within a week 🙄.
Have not fixed that again.

 

Thanks Thunder. I reckon we can get accustomed to anything, to the point it becomes second nature. The Triumph Bonneville I had didn't have cancelling signals, but I didn't complain. Because that was the way it was designed. My Harley does cancel. If it didn't I'd be annoyed because it's supposed to. So I reckon that's why I'm annoyed at this. Annoyed enough to pay nearly a hundred bucks in the hopes of getting something that works like it is supposed to.

For the record, Carolina Classics did offer to send a replacement for the cost of shipping. (both ways of course). But I declined.
And like your experience, this is the second one to fail in short order. The first one came from Auto Krafters. Exact same unit.

In my research, I found the cancelling cam is available by itself. About 12 bucks and two wires. So apparently it's enough of a thing to offer that piece alone.

If this new unit, that CropDuster supplied a link to fails, then column replacement will follow shortly!

Had I known this would be an issue, maybe I woulda done that in the beginning. Aftermarket columns such as the Ididit unit I'm lookin' at, have a GM plug, which is what my aftermarket wiring harness came with. Woulda made things so much easier!

 

I was down a similar rabbit hole a few years back. Couldn't source a TSS for my model, no 4 spoke wheel repops, dealing with an ugly adaption for the aftermarket wheel, looking to rewire with the AAW wire kit that has the GM connector. I went with the IDIDIT and cleaned all that up. It looks plenty like the one I replaced, and no hint of any issues. They definitely look and feel like a well made unit. I think after I measured and remeasured and remeasured again, I was able to use one of their standard catalog numbers rather than configuring a custom one. One thing that slowed me down was verifying that the standard wire exit hole location was going to work with my set-up. Which it did just barely - right below the dash bracket.

 

Good info Wayne!
i have a couple questions for you on your
ididit column...
Does the turn signal have that feature that later model cars have for like a lane change where you can just press the lever up or down to activate the signal without actually clicking into place?

And, what steering wheel did you go with?

 

No it doesn't. You can kind of hold it up or down and make it signal without getting clicked in place, however my wife's newer car allows you to tap it up or down, and it will signal 4 or 5 times and then stop -my IDIDIT column does not do that.

I kept the steering wheel that was installed when I bought the truck - it's a 13.75" Grant, close to their part #737 F/X. I was looking to go to the original 4-spoke style for the 4x4, but learned they were unobtainium, as are the TSS for 4x4. I wasn't inspired by any other wheel I saw, so just kept with the Grant. Works great with the power steering - otherwise would be unobsteeringum. I purchased one of the IDIDIT spacers to work with the Grant and get the distance I needed. Also purchased a Ford branded horn button. Looking at photos, I remember I had to chamfer the backside of the steering wheel just a hair to fit the diameter of the spacer.

Original column



IDIDIT Column



Spacer and wheel after a bit of bench work to chamfer the wheel ID



Standard position of the cable exit hole - just barely low enough on the column to clear my bracket location.